Conveyer of the endless band type



Sept. 16, 1941. J. c. PATr-:RsoN

CONVEYER OF THE ENDLESS BAND TYPE Filed Sept. 28, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l ununnanu' Spt. 16, 1941. J Q PATERSQN I 2,256,168

CONVEYER` OF THE ENDLESS BAND TYPE Filed Sept. 28, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 66 72 1 WY@ I ff www Patented Sept. 16, 1.941

conversa or ma muss BAND ma John Carrie Paterson, Peterborough, England, aasignor to Baker Perkins Company lne., Saginaw, Mich.-

Application September 28, 1938, Serial No. 232.224 In Great Britain September 29, 1937 4 Claims. (Cl. 198-182) This invention relates to conveyers of the endless band type and has for its' object the provision of conveying means adapted to change the direction of travel of the articles conveyed, or turn them through an arc, or convey them on a curved path.

The invention consists in an openwork conveying surface adaptedfor travel in an arcuate path. Chains are provided at the inner and outer margins of the conveying surface, being supported upon inner and outer guiding 'tracks or rails of arcuate form.

The return lap of the endless band may be supported in a' path approximately parallel to and in spaced relationship beneath the upper conveying surface of the band.

According to a further feature, transverse or radial members or spokes are provided between the inner and outer chains, novel surface elements being located between said spokes. The segmental surface consists of a plurality of elements such as coiled springs extending between the spokes. This construction provides a novel improved endless conveyer band economical to construct and having a desirable distribution of vdrive and load stresses which affords an easyrunning conveyer exceptionally free from tendencies to warp or buckle in operation.

The invention further provides a novel supporting and guiding assembly for conveyers operating to change the direction of travel of articles,

turning them through arcs up to 180 degrees. This improved assembly is adapted for use either with the conveyer belt shown and described in the application of E. D. Rapisarda for United States patent, Serial No. 166,635, filed September 30, 193'?, or with the conveyer belt of this application. In this improved assembly the inner margin of the band in its upper and lower laps engages and abuts travelling guide elements comprising a pair of superposed freely mounted discs or ring elements.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan of an arcuate conveyer according to the invention showing the conveyer sur- 2 face diagrammatioally;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken along the axes of the rollers 61 in Fig. 1;l

Fig. 3 is a part-sectional view taken radially of the conveyer intermediate the rollers l1; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are detailed elevation and plan views of a portion of the improved conveyer surface of the invention. A

Figs. 1 through 5 show the invention applied to an angular conveyer suitable for transporting articles such as biscuits in a semicircular pathto change the direction o f travel through 180, a longitudinally extending frame or girder Itis provided which supports adjacent its centre a vertically extending stub shaft Il. The stub shaft forms a bearing for a pair of spaced disesA l1, Il which are adapted to move freely upon the shaft by the aid of ball or other suitable bearings Il, Il. The discs l1, Il are provided with rims Il, l2 extending downwardly and upwardly to- 1ward one another but leaving a space therebeween.

In addition toits being carried by the disc, the upper rim is supported upon a series or rollers, for example, three rollers arranged at 120 with one another. These rollers (not shown) are carried by radially arranged bars or angle irons t3 which extend through .the space between the rims before mentioned. At their inner ends the bars are secured to a second frame element il which is located between the discs, such element being arranged parallel to the main frame or girder element and secured to the stub shaft I6. The

lower rim I2 may also be provided with support-v ing rollers or the associated disc may be strengthcned by suitable radial ribs It or elements secured thereto.

Located on either side of the discs and on an extended diameter thereof is a pair of terminal rollers 6I, l1 for the conveyer element or band. These rollers are of coned or tapered form, the smaller ends being located adjacent the edges l of the discs Il, I5. The rollers l1 form the nosings around which the conveyer band turns as it travels from the upper to the lower lap or vice versa. The rollers are carried by shafts 68, 63 supported at their inner ends by the inner frame element il located between the discs, the shafts extending through the space between the disc rims 6I, 62.

The outer ends of the roller shafts are supported by suitable bearings 1I which are carried by the main frame member Il.

At either AYend of the roller vshafts 68, 69 sprocket wheels 1|, 12 are provided for driving chain elements 1I, 1I which form the side margins of the conveying surface. 'I'hese chains may be of any suitable construction adapted to permit them to conform to the curvature of the conveying surface which it will be appreciated is of semi-annular form in agreement with the centre discs 51, Il. A

The chains 13, 14 are supported upon curved tracks or rails 1l, 16 which are carried by suitable framework supported by the radial bars` 63 l before mentioned. there being upper and lower tracks for the upper and lower runs of each chain. 'These tracks do not carry the whole 1 weight of the conveying surface but are auxiliary i to main supporting tracks or rails 1l. 'It located inwardly of the chain tracks.

assenso Between each chain and secured thereto is a 1 series of round bars or spokes Il located radially from the centre of the discs. The spokes 'at 1 either end are plvotaliy connected to the chains.

j on horizontal axes, the chains being provided or formed at spaced intervals with forked vfittings Il (see Figures 4 and 5) for this purpose. The spokes 1| are also provided adjacent their ends with supporting rollers Il which are adapted -to run on the main supporting tracks Il and ll.

'I'he spokes 1l together with the inner and 1 outer chains 13, M thus form a series of truncated sectors and these are filled in by a novel 1 flexible supporting surface.

This surface consists of a multiplicity of ilexto the spokes 'I9 so that the tops of the springs lie in the plane of the tops of the spokes. f

The terminal rollers It are driven in anysuitable mannenforexamplebysprocketwheeh mountedon the shafts ll and adjacent outer ends of the rollers.

Fortensioningtheconveyersurfacethebeab lngaoftheterminairoliershaftllaremounted in sliding blocks Il to which adjusting screw means Il are operatively connected. the adjusting screw at the inner end projecting between the disc rims Il, l2. I

With the axes of the shafts I I. Il horizontal it will be appreciated that the upper conveying surface will be inclined to the horizontal. such surface may however be in a horizontal piane by inclining the shafts..

The conveyer supporting and driving assembly described, including the idler disks I1, Il. is useful not only with the specific conveyer band herein described, in which inward stresses are transmitted by the spokes Il to the freely moving rims Il. I2 of the disks (see Fig. 2). but can The length of the springs is such that they are only put under slight tension, it being appreciated that in each space there will be a series of springs which gradually increase in length as indicated in Figure 1. Adjacent springs are preferably slightly spaced apart, as in Fig. 5, and

'1 may be held in their position by grooving or 3 ,nicking the spokes 'I9 at the appropriate position.'

Adjacent the end springs the spokesare provided with holes for accommodating split pins- 3 .to retain the springs inposition. The section of the springs 82 may be circular, square, flattened or of other form as desired.`

With a conveying surface or band curved so i against which-the inner chain elements 'Il contact. These lateral abutments are Provided by the disc rims 6I, 62, and by the free mounting of the discs Il, 58 so that they revolve by the lfrictional contact of the chain 14 therewith as the conveying surface travels. It will be appreciate'd. therefore, that an efficientA angular con- -veyer means is provided in which friction be- Qtween the relatively moving parts is reduced to la minimum. The conveyer bandlies exceptionlally nat in its. working plane and is free from 1localized tendencies to binding which introducesstres'ses tending to initiate warping and lbuckling. All tensions in the surface are exert- :ed circumferentially, due to the stiff radial spokes 'll, and tensionsl transmitted from the driving l chain are not exerted 'through the mesh tangentially to the inner arc of the band, but are transmitted radially by the spokes. The circumferential tensions of the plurality of springs 82 have' the same flattening effect over the enl itire width of the band as do the circumferenytially threaded coll springs 22,shown in Fig. 6` of the Rapisarda application above referred to.

that the articles travel around an arc it will be appreciated that there is a natural tendency for the surface to move towards the centre and in 1 the arrangement under discussion this movement is taken up by the formation of lateral abutments valso be advantageouslyemployed with the con# veyer band and chain assembly in the lapisarda application hereinbefore mentioned.v '"The inner chain vof this conveyer, corresponding to chain It in Figures 1 and 3 of this application, is positively held against inward movement and is carried by the rims Il, l2 with complete absence of sliding friction. l

The conveyer surface herein shown and described is .the subject also 'of-my U. B. Patent No. 2,253,913, issued August 26, 1941, and filed October 27. 1939, as a continuation-in-part of this ers. said band being provided witha drive chain attached alongv its inner periphery engaging abutment means comprising'freely mounted discs of radius at mast equal to the width or the band.

which travel with the laps of the chain.

3. A conveying device comprising an endless openwork band arranged for travel in a curved or semicircular path between radial roller elements, said band. comprising inner vand outer driving chain elements connected by spaced radial spokes and flexible, closely coiled springs ex- .tending between the spokes and spaced closely ing said supporting tracks. v

vJOHN comms Pa'rERsoN, 

